This weblog was created to act as a platform for the voice of secular pro-democracy activists in and outside Iran who are struggling against the religious dictatorship of the Islamic clerics in Iran.
My favourite quote:
"Evil only prevails when the good stay silent"

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Mehra Maleki on VOA

Really enjoyed watching Mehra Maleki on VOA tonight. She is so knowledgable about contemporary Iranian history and so confident when she speaks. Another remarkable point about Mehra is how well and fluent she speaks Persian. For someone who left Iran at the age of 13 to speak Persian so fluently, is truly remarkable and puts a lot of other Iranian ex-pats, who left Iran at a much later age and have forgotten their mother tongue, to shame.

I also like it when she has a go at the Iranian pseudo-intellectuals who helped mullahs come to power in 1979, and as she rightly says for having made such a huge misjudgement, they should by right simply retire but they don't seem to let go of the arena and continue with their nonsense claptrap.

Hope Mehra is invited as a guest on the program more often and wouldn't it be great if she starts a blog of her own.

Thanks for your fine blog and the post about Mehra Maleki on VOA. I agree in all points even in the comment of winston. There are too many leftists (we call them left rats) not only in VOA.All the best to you!!!

Not only she is knwledgable, she is exeptionaly courageous. Attacking figures with a halo around their head like Musadeq demands a courage that Mehra Malki demonstrated. It is unfortunate that the grass root Irnian still think of Musadeq as a hero.

15 minutes fame for Mrs. Maliki to appear on VOA to distort the Iranian history. This so called historian unashamedly dismisses the role of Dr. Mossadegh and tries to denigrate Iranian patriot & a historic figure, even the son of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi admits the heroic role of this truly democratically elected Prime Minster in contemporary Iranian history. Mrs. Maliki contemptible and contemptuous language towards the only democratically elected Premier, stems from her servitude to the West. How some of these Iranian oppositions in US can sink so low. Mrs. Maliki rest assure you will be on the peripheral as Iranian historian, Iran had a great historians and truly patriotic like Kasravi, Zarinkoub, etc .

Sit tight in US and deliver your speeches on Voice of anti-Iranians which has become an increasingly a tool of Iranian runagates to defame Iran and distort Iranian history

I think you have a very backward view of what a historian is about or perhaps you come from a very religious background and make untouchable saints out of mortal human beings. Why can't people re-examine Mossadigh's role? So what of Reza Pahlavi calls him a hero? what has that to do with Mehra Maleki?

In the West every historic character is open for review and critique. I once attended a very enjoyable debate in the C of E Synod, where British historians on opposite camps debated Churchil's role during the war.

Far from Mehra Maleki remaining on the sideline, I think it will be you as an anonymous commenter on ablog who will remain sidelined.

Well that sums up your democratic credential labeled me “ backward” , and secondly I am “from a very religious background “ then embarked upon meaningless defense of a Mehra Maleki she should be free to denigrate Dr Mossadegh without any foundation and flimsy argument .Yes constructive criticism is valid and justified. We leave Dr Mossadegh record in office to the true historians and Iranian who are knowledgeable about Iran history

“Where British historians on opposite camps debated Churchil's role during the war” who was there to defend Dr Mossadegh, surely not on VOA, after all US toppled him from power

Who is given a title of historian to Mrs. Mehra Maleki, she is self proclaimed historian. Read my comment carefully, I compared her to Kasrive and Zarinkub, she is on the sideline not me

Don’t take my comment out of context I said even Reza Pahlavi whose fathers’ regime toppled Dr. Mossadegh admitted he had a very important role , something your historian ignored don’t play with words blogger.

Milk you said in your comment that “she is exceptionally courageous” ‘..Attacking figures…. head like Musadeq”, you don’t have to be courageous by “Attacking Dr Mossadegh” the cowards have always done that throughout the history.

Mullah dictatorship have distorted the history numerously and now making a film about 28 Mordad and the highlight the role of the traitor like Kashani and attacking Mossadegh. Shah in his book Pasokh be Tarikh attacks him and finally that criminal Churchill who toppled Mossadegh from power called him communist and agitator.Zarrius

I think when a historic figure gains the status of untouchable by the populace, and a researcher finds courage to examine it, it should be commended.

My maths teacher told me something which I never forgot and I applied it throughout my life, he said"Potkin, always be suspicious of ideologies and cults that are afraid of being asked questions, for if they were sound they would have no fear of questions"

I think you should apply the same, and you still have not answered specifically what did Mehra Maleki say which was denegrading without back up?

AzarmehrComments are not about me. I am sick and tired of bunch people who all of sudden coming out of the closet appear on the VOA and they are historians, researchers human right campaigners etc , and all the titles VAO gives them to promote these people form Harvard, MIT, etc . We must be very careful and see where these people are coming from, what are their motives; what policy do they have towards Iran, who is their friends in high places. We were misled once before , Khomeini was promising democracy and freedom 29 years ago he surrounded himself with so called intellectuals like Yazdi, Banisadr, Ghtobzadeh and many more. The Consequence is what we see now in Iran. Dictatorship worse than the Shah. zarrius

I do agree with you that VOA doe snot check people's credentials. They told me themselves we check people's credentials from their business cards. An example was Farbod Talaii who was presented as an expert in international security :))

But I think Mehra Maleki does know her stuff and does have a PHD in history. Unless you can show me otherwise.

About Me

Follow Me on Twitter @potkazar
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Last time I was in Iran, was during the Islamic "cultural revolution". I hated what was taking place in front of my eyes.
Illiterate gangs of thugs attacking students and academics and telling them how a university must be run! Book stalls being attacked, with books torn up and burned.
I knew then that I had to do something to get rid of this scourge of clerics who had seized power in Iran.
My main objective in life is to help establish a secular democracy in Iran.
I believe the best way forward for Iran to be based on four pillars of Democracy, Secularism, Nationalism and Meritocracy.
Most countries that have adopted these principles have been prosperous, why shouldn't our people be one of them?